This Blog is being updated by Travis's Mom with pictures and weekly emails received as he serves a 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Fukuoka, Japan from May 2013-May 2015.
Travis would love to hear from you. Letters and packages should be mailed to him via USPS only. His address in Fukuoka, Japan is (each comma represents a new line):
Elder Travis J. Bloomfield,
Japan Fukuoka Mission,
9-16 Hirao-josuimachi,
Chuo-Ku,
Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka,
810-0029, Japan

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Sorry we didn't have time to email yesterday. We had some stuff we had to do for the Ward.

Well this week was good. We mostly just did transfers. Elder Nelson down from Okinawa came up to be the new AP. He's just a way good man. I'm super excited for he and Elder Hoskins and what they will be able to accomplish.

One of the investigators we are teaching right now has been super prepared in his life. He told us about numerous experiences he's had that led him to know there is a God and told us he feels like there is a reason he has had these experiences and has been searching for God for a good part of his life. He's the kind of investigator that every time you ask a question he just gives the perfect answer. Has always wanted to find what is correct in life. He wants God's guidance in his life. He felt warmth and peace when he read the Book of Mormon the first time... His name is Kasamura san keep him in your prayers!

Well its weird to think today is my last p day. I've definitely learned tons over the past two years. Here are some of the things my mission has taught me.

1. Don't complain. Complaining comes from your pride and your lack of faith to carry out a certain task. In everything you do, you can think of it like 1 Nephi 3:5 (5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord).or 1 Nephi 3:7 (7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.).

2. Before I came out here on my mission, I thought about my future and I had set 1 goal for myself. That was to be able to better understand the feelings of the Spirit and when God is communicating to me. I know without a doubt God is trying to reach out to each and everyone of us, it just takes time to recognize these feelings. I now know how to recognize promptings and what we must first do to recognize it.

3. Unconditional service is the key to lasting happiness. Forget about yourself if you want to be happy.

4. Emailing is a lazy man's way of communication. If you want to get something done, call them and talk to them. Don't text.

5. God doesn't necessarily care about the things that we are doing, he cares about our heart. The commandments we live, the things we do, it is all simply ways the Lord has provided so we can better live with peace in our heart. On the other hand we can be keeping the commandments, going to church every Sunday, etc. and not feeling a remission of our sins if our heart is not in the right place, recognizing why we are here doing these things. Our actions must reflect our heart, not the other way around.

6. Heavenly Father has a loving relationship we will never be able to fully comprehend.

7. The biggest thing I learned - The results that come from relying on the Lord and receiving blessings from the Atonement. I have seen my weaknesses become strengths by the enabling power of the Atonement, simply by desire. Trying to do everything yourself is prideful and you won't accomplish much. Rely on the Lord and everything falls into place.

There are still tons of things I don't know, things I don't understand, even things about the church that still might not make sense to me, but I know the gospel has been restored through Joseph Smith and we have been provided with life's answers to happiness, peace, and the help we need to succeed. If you don't believe in God, believe there is no way God and Christ could appear to a 14 year old boy, talk to the missionaries. I never expected the experiences I have had over the last 2 years. God and Christ have worked through me, a simple 19, 20 year old who can't even speak Japanese, to solve 20, 30, 40 and 70 year old peoples' struggles, concerns. I have no clue how to help these people, I have no clue what they have experienced in their life, but we meet them everyday. We can feel the Spirit working through us and we see their burdens being lifted off. We ask people to stop smoking, come to church every Sunday, quit work to make it happen, start reading and praying everyday, start paying some of the little money they have to a 10% tithing, break up with your girlfriend and move out. Any 19 or 20 year old that asked you to do this, you would tell them to get lost. It is impossible. But God communicates with these people, and they give everything for this feeling they have never felt before. God wants to help you, he loves you, Christ is the way.

Well this week we just carried out the rest of the training's. It was super fun, we trained on planning, contacting people in finding, and then went out with everyone and dendoed near the church for about an hour and a half to apply the training. I think in the last week I worked with about 8 different missionaries. It was super good. Also I lost my phone on one of the buses in Fukuoka. When I finally got it just a couple days later I had 9 missed calls and 14 emails. Woops! Sometimes I forget how often we make phone calls.

Well we need to take some of the reports to the Stake Presidents so we are off but I hope everyone is doing well! Happy haha, No "hi" to all. I will send a couple of the pics from Okinawa.

Monday, September 26, 2016

We finished the iPad training this week. In the training's we mainly just set them all up, trained on in what ways to use it effectively in the work and such, but the most important part was the safeguards part that Kaicho trained on. Most people probably don’t know one of the main reasons we are receiving the iPads, it is not just for the convenience in the work, but more for building the missionaries. One of the number one problems we have in the world right now is the technology we are using. People can't communicate, they just stare at the phones all the time, communicate by words on a screen, have social problems because they never leave their home, have different addictions to the internet. Kaicho trained on how to build and learn now on our mission to provide a blessing for the rest of our life. We will be more apt to what the Spirit feels like, and what the feelings of the adversary are. When we have problems down the road in life, we can look back on the training's and spiritual help we got for our technology on our mission, to help solve our problems. When our children have problems with technology, addictions to things in the internet, we will be prepared and know how to help them. If you were wondering, that is the blessings that will reach far beyond being able to share a video with an investigator or keep your area book digitally.

The work is moving along and things are super good! Next week one of the Zone Leaders and I will go to 4 other zones to carry out a different training.

Never ends right!

Hope everyone is doing awesome! Alma 26: 27-28; 37. (27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about toturnback, behold, the Lordcomfortedus, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear withpatiencethineafflictions, and I will give unto you success.

28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of everypeople, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.)

Times may get tough but God is watching over you so there's no reason to complain!

Challenge for all of you, go an entire 24 hours without complaining once! You may realize your life is filled with much more ups than downs.